11 killed in Chhattisgarh Naxalite blast

The landmine blast, which was triggered off by Naxalites in Kanker district, also left four others injured.

Eleven persons were killed and four others injured on Saturday in Kanker district in Chhattisgarh in a landmine blast triggered off by Naxalites. Five Maoists have also been killed in Bastar district in an encounter.

"Mistaking a private jeep taxi to be a police vehicle, the Naxalites triggered a landmine blast near Ghodagaon village under Pakhanjur police station area, about 250 km from the state capital," Kanker District Superintendent of Police Pradeep Gupta said.

Six persons were killed and four others were injured, the SP said, quoting primary reports. He added that a police party had already left for the spot and further details were awaited.

Meanwhile, Bastar SP Gurjinder Pal Singh said a police party had killed five Naxalites, including a 'deputy commander' in Dhanora jungle area, about 400 km from the state capital in a fierce encounter.

All the Naxalites were killed in an encounter on Friday and the dead body of the 'deputy commander' has been recovered while the Maoists have taken the rest of the bodies with them, Singh said. Search operations are continuing in the area, he added.